THE BLACKBALL STRIKE

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 37

THE BLACKBALL STRIKE

DECISIVE ACTION BY THE . GOVERNMENT. UNION TO BE PROCEEDED ; AGAINST. REEFTON, March 3. \ The Westland Trades and Labour Council met here this morning, Mr Foster, of Denniston, being in the chair. All the other unions on the West Coast were fully , represented. The standing orders were suspended to allow the delegates from Blackball to ; speak concerning ,the trouble. Mr Hiokey, a delegate and one of the dismissed men, spoke at some length, de- , tailing the trouble between the inineowners and the men. The trouble regarding the tare of the wooden tubs was settled. The present trouble was- due to crib time being limited to 15 minutes. .The union decided upon half an hour, .and then 'came the dismissals and the strike. The men hid approached the manager in a very seasonable manner. The reasons given for dismissal were inadequate. The ventilation of the mine was bad. Mr Hickey and others complained to the Hon. Mr M'Nab, and had been marked men. The council heard both Mr Hickey and Mr Rodgers (secretary of the Miners' Unkm. : 'at 1 Blackball), and decided that— "After hearing the explanation of the delegates from Blackball, this council is of opinion ; that the men were discharged without reasonable excuse by the manager of the Blackball Coal Company, and were not treated in the manner they might expect, end this council is of opinion that the Blackball Miners' Union has been driven by an unfair and mean manner io cease Working until justice is done. The memtiers of the union and the council strongly *irge on the unions the necessity for immediate moral and financial support to the Blackball Union in its struggle." The Arbitration Court methods were freely criticised. " Some speakers advocated a ' resort to a general strike, but this opinion did not find favour. A motion asking the Minister of Labour to direct the Arbitration Court to immediately intervene was deferred till the Government proposals were received. MINERS' SOLID OPPOSITION. (From Oub Own Correspondent.) GREYMOUTH, March 3. This morning Mr Lomas interviewed the ; miners, and said the employers were quite ' -prepared to leave the question of ballot ■ to -go to the Arbitration Court.' This the 1 miners stolidly opposed, and the opposition was co uncompromising that an absolute deadlock was brought about. Regarding the dismissed men^ the manager offered his word of honour that they would not be viotimieed, but the union demanded that ,a> -written, pledge be {riven. This was refused, j and the position therefore is the same as 1 when the conference rose on Friday. ! The striken continue to receive mes- j sages of sympathy, while the Westland ! Trades and Labour Council has &sked unions to morally and financially support the : Blackball men. The faot that at the annual Trades Conference a general ttrike of, miners on the West Coast was advocated is but evidence Of the temper of the men. on the situation. I "piere is no gaineayinjr "that the position is '. reaching a. critical point, and is occasion- . ing throughout the West Coast gravest concern. March *. At the Trades and Labour Council meetin* at Reefton yesterday Mr Hickey, one of ihe dismissed men. stated that the ventila- j tion of the mine was bad. He said he had complained to the Hon. Mr M'Nab on this point, and was therefore a "marked" man. By way of Teplv, the manager of the mine has invited the Minister of Mines to send any expert *lon« to test the ventilation. He says that the Blackball mine is one of the best ventilated mines in the Dominion. It is estimated that nearly 900 people are , directly affeoted by the strike, which will „ sooner or later be felt throughout the dis- ' iriot. OBJECTION TO CENERAL STRIKE. ■ , REEFTON, March 4. The Trades and Labour Council met last Evening, discussed the question of a general strike, and wishes it "known that a large majority- of the oouncil object to the idea of a general strike. SYMPATHY WITH THE STRIKERS. \AUCKLAND, March 4. At the meeting of the Trades and Labour Council to-night a resolution of sympathy with the Blackball miners was carried. One delegate opposed the motion, on the grounds that the men had redress under the Arbitration Aot, but several replied that th« act had been used against the workers.